Twenty-eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time_B - Choose Wisely_101021

Deacon Tom Writes,

“Choose Wisely”

Twenty-eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B

 Have you ever had the chance to watch a little child try to decide which coin to take when given a choice between a nickel and a dime? Quite often, the child will choose the nickel because it’s bigger. The poor lad hasn’t learned to distinguish monetary values. Today’s reading from the Book of Wisdom is intended to teach us about what constitutes real value in our lives so that we may know how to make wise and morally correct decisions and not fall victim to the ways of the world. Here is today’s reading from the Book of Wisdom again.

I prayed, and prudence was given me;
I pleaded and the spirit of Wisdom came to me.
I preferred her to scepter and throne,
And deemed riches nothing in comparison with her,
nor did I liken any priceless gem to her;
Because all gold, in view of her, is a little sand,
and before her, silver is to be accounted mire.
Beyond health and comeliness I loved her,
And I chose to have her rather than the light,
because the splendor of her never yields to sleep.
Yet all good things together came to me in her company,
and countless riches at her hands.

The teacher of Wisdom informs us that other virtues accompany Wisdom for those who pursue Wisdom. Prudence and Perseverance, Patience and intense Prayer are found in Wisdom’s company. That explains why Wisdom is so rare and elusive, while foolishness is seen all around us, like pollen during ragweed season. Foolishness appeals to the here and now, feeds upon our egos and disillusions, and makes no demands upon our character. Foolishness endures because it is so captivated by the glitter of the physical reality around us and is so easily enticed by the things of this world… the riches, temporary fame and fortune, success and the pleasures that fail to give lasting joy and happiness. The Wisdom described above is a manifestation of God’s very identity and his essence. It is a part of God’s very being. God shares his Wisdom, a very part of his nature with those who ask for it, with those who seek lasting riches found only in the things from above. When one possesses this form of Wisdom, they abide in God and God in them.

If we seek the things from above, we will never be disappointed. God’s Wisdom will guide us on our earthly journey and enlighten us along the way so we, unlike the little child who is deceived by the belief that bigger is better and makes the wrong choice, won’t settle for second best. May we have the Wisdom of God at work in us so that we always and easily choose wisely.

Enjoy the day!
Deacon Tom



Image: eastdailyoffice.wordpress.com

Praying For Wisdom

Deacon Tom Writes,

“Praying For Wisdom”

Twenty-eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B

Sometimes we don’t make the right decision. If we are lucky our wrong choice is about a small matter, something with few or no negative consequences. We don’t intend to make a poor choice. On the contrary, we normally act out of our own best interest seeking the best possible outcome whenever we make a choice of our own volition.

We live in an amazingly complex society. We make choices from the moment we wake up in the morning. We have so many choices about what career path to follow, where to live, the person to date or marry, what car to drive or college to attend. These are weighty decisions with enormous consequences and life can become tragic if we choose poorly.

Our readings today provide some divine guidance to assist us in our decision making process. They do so by setting out a process for us to follow to aid us in making the best decision possible. What are the steps scripture presents us with to guide us anytime we have a decision to make? The first step as we learn in the first reading from the Book of Wisdom is “to pray” for the “spirit of wisdom.” That should not surprise anyone who considers himself or herself a Christian, a follower of Jesus. Prayer is always the first choice as we begin the day, or enter the hustle and bustle of our daily activity, and as we enter our evening rest. It is through prayer we are able to act in such a way as to make the best possible choice out of the myriad opportunities we have. For prayer opens us to the Wisdom of God that then enables one to see the intrinsic value of the choices before us. Do I choose the best for me, taking all for myself, which comes as my natural inclination or does Wisdom inform my choice so that my concern is not for myself alone but for others whom I claim as my brothers and sisters in Christ.

You see, prayer and the Wisdom that enters our lives because we place ourselves before the Lord makes a tremendous difference in the choices we make in life. Prayer may alter the course of our life so that we choose to dedicate ourselves to improving the lives of others by becoming teachers, public defenders, working in a medical clinic rather than seeing to promote our own personal achievement and success. Scripture is always calling us to a life of self-sacrifice and surrender compared to a life of self-satisfaction and worldly accomplishment.

We live at a time and place where there isn’t much wisdom, only a lot of foolishness of the highest magnitude. Call it the wisdom of the world if you will. It is meant to satisfy only the here and now. It won’t last; it isn’t intended to, for it only satisfies our physical and material needs. The Wisdom described in today’s readings is a manifestation of God’s very identity. It is a part of God’s very being. God shares His Wisdom, a very part of His nature with those who ask for it, with those who seek lasting riches found only in the things from above.

If our prayer life leads us to choose to seek the things from above, we will never be disappointed. God’s Wisdom will guide us on our earthly journey and enlighten us along the way so we don’t make the wrong choice or settle for second best. 

Enjoy the day!

Deacon Tom